She's Equipt with Jennifer Allwood | The Christian Business Coach for Women

When Clarity Becomes an Idol

·16 min·1 clip

Jennifer Allwood reveals why praying for clarity might be holding Christian women entrepreneurs back from taking action.

Jennifer Allwood opens episode 039 of She's Equipt by addressing a common request from women in her coaching program: prayers for clarity about business decisions like launching, pivoting, or hiring. She introduces the concept that seeking clarity can become an idol, causing people to hit pause until they feel certain. While preparing for a trip to Telluride, Colorado, she listened to a sermon by Pastor Stephen Furtick titled 'It's okay not to have clarity.' Furtick shared a story, attributed to Brennan Manning, about a man who visited Mother Teresa seeking clarity for his life's direction. Mother Teresa refused to pray for clarity, stating she had never had clarity but always had trust, and instead prayed for the man to trust God. This story deeply impacted Jennifer, making her reconsider her own prayers for clarity. She reflects on her own entrepreneurial journey, noting she has never had a crystal-clear five-year plan for her businesses, including her painting company, coaching, software ventures, and book. She emphasizes that some of her greatest opportunities arose from times without a plan. Jennifer argues that when women ask for clarity, they often really want certainty, guarantees, and to avoid wasting time, money, or looking foolish. She states that clarity can become an idol because people refuse to move without it, yet God never guarantees clarity. She observes that clarity often comes as a result of action, not as a prerequisite, using the analogy of driving at night where headlights only show the next step. Jennifer references scripture about trusting in the Lord and not leaning on one's own understanding. She suggests praying for guts, courage, wisdom, or discernment instead of clarity. She concludes that many women are stuck not due to lack of clarity but due to lack of support, mentorship, accountability, and community, encouraging listeners to join her coaching group. The episode ends with a call to trust God with the future and take action.

As heard by us

Clarity can become a trap when it delays action.

Jennifer Allwood uses episode 039 to press on a familiar business reflex: treating clarity as a prerequisite for action. She starts with the prayer requests she hears in her coaching program, where women ask for clarity or the next step, and turns that into a plain case for how…

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Why you'd press play

If clarity keeps steering the wheel, this episode will nudge you back toward motion.

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